What's New After Raya?

Not much! The lab work resumes as usual after Hari Raya with so many seed pods to be sown. Hj Naza made another media for flasking - can't remember what number. Reflasking work is also in progress and now I realize that additional staff to do the reflasking work may be needed in near future.

Visitors from Switzerland

Roland and his friend, orchid nursery owner and collectors, came to Malaysia collecting miniature orchids from jungle in Cameron Highland. They dropped by at Hj Naza's house to look around for interesting bulbos. Next destination is to Sabah. 

Revising Quotation and Confirming Orchid Species for Tambak Sari

As promised, Marni sent us the new garden plan and we worked out on Sunday morning to finalize the list of species to be used. The original quotation figures remain the same but we had adjusted the number of plants and also introduced new species. A total of about 100 species (including 3 hybrids) were sent to Marni to be confirmed. Hopefully everything will be fine and we can start collecting and gathering the plants soonest possible!

Orchid Garden landscape with proposed trees during the meeting

Many original species were adjusted to give space to new ones

Meeting with Tambak Sari, Johor Bahru

Few months ago, we have been approached by Tambak Sari for its landscape project in Johor Bahru. They had invited us to meet them at their site office to discus in details of plants requirements and to see the actual site. We went to JB on Tuesday and met Puan Marni, the site officer. She brought us around to see the area specifically the proposed orchid garden.

Actually, they are upgrading Taman Bunga Istana Besar, into a more presentable garden. It was divided into few sections i.e. Orchid Garden, Hill Garden, Bonsai Garden, Herbs Garden etc. So what they actually needed from us is to establish an orchid garden. Further to our discussion, we proposed it to be a 'species orchid garden' (ain't that our specialty?!). They accepted the idea as it is unique and not adapting with what Singapore is doing (their reference or rival?).

Later in the afternoon, we met the landscape architect, Puan Siti Saudah (?) and discussed further on suitable landscape plants, general garden features and types of orchids that can be grown there. Among the host trees that we proposed include tamarind, dracaena, wrightia and cinnamon. We would also look back at the proposed species list in order to increase in the number of plants at few sections so that it could give high impact.  

Once again, we visited the whole garden area and saw 'tembusu' tree logs which can be used as natural landscape feature in the orchid garden. Marni would give us the revised plan before we could decide on the species to use.

Proposed tree - Hopea odorata

Another one - Callistemon viminalis